Following the recent launch of Hong Kong's first Barge Identity Card System to enhance the barge operation efficiency, the installation of the new crane facility is another step taken by HIT to handle the increasing barge volume more efficiently.

Last year, the cargo volumes transported by barges from the Pearl River Delta Region achieved a double-digit growth. HIT alone handled over 459,000 boxes in 1999 and recorded a 19% increase in the first four months of this year.

Notes to Editor

As the largest container terminal operator in Hong Kong, HIT accounts for about 50 per cent of the throughput at the Kwai Chung Container Port. The Company has consistently won industry awards for its efficiency and high service standards. HIT is a subsidiary of Hutchison Port Holdings (HPH), a global independent port operator and developer. HPH Group handled over 17.9 million TEUs (Twenty Foot Equivalent units) in 1999.